Spring-box for car-couplings



(No Model.)

P. P. MGMAHON & G. M. WILGOXSON. SPRING B0X P0P. GAR COUPLINGS.

110.470,0'71. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

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- VITED STATES PATENT Vrrrci.

NOOGA, TENNESSEE.

SPRING-BOX FOR CAR-COUPLINGS..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,071, dated March 1, 1892. Application filed J'uly 8, 1891. Serial No. 398.847. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that we, PATRloK PAUL Mc- MAHoN and GEORGE MARCUS WILcoXsoN, both of Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Spring-Box for Car-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a detachable box or case for the secure retention of a buffer-spring for a car-coupling which will permit the spring to be changed quickly if broken, and which can be utilized in conjunction with different styles of drawheads.

To this end our invention -consists in the construction of parts and their combination, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a portion of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the improved device in position on a carframe, shown broken. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improvement, partly in section, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig.

Fig. 3 is an end view opposite the arrow 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4. is a transverse section on the line 4 4. in Fig. 2.

The spring-box Ais preferably made of malleable cast-iron. Other available metals may also be used in its production. Said box consists of two parallel side walls a, which are held spaced a proper distance apart by the transverse parallel walls b b, that are so located with regard to the terminals of the side walls that a spring-chamber c will be provided between them. Central perforation's are formed in the transverse walls b for the loose insertion of the similar thirnbles d, which when in place are axially coincident. The thimbles d have each a radial flan ge cl formed on one end, which anges are designed to limit the sliding movement outwardly of the thimbles that receive and afford support to a link-bolt B, which is loosely inserted in them, as shown in Fig. 2. Such a sufficient length is given to the link-bolt B between the head e on its front end and a transverse key-hole g near its rear end as will allow a proper degree of .endwise mot-ion to said bolt and engaged thimbles in service, and upon its' body, between the walls h, one or more buffer-springs C are placed. There is a wroughtmetal washer h placed on the link-bolt B at its rear end, which is interposed between the end of the thimble d and a cross-key i, the latter being inserted in the key-hole g and therein retained by a split key t" or similar means.

At the front end of the link-bolt B a draw-V 6o head D of any approved form is attached, which is secured to the bolt by insertion of the latter through a perforation in the rear wall of the draw-head, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, where the rear part of a draw-head is shown by dotted lines.

To secure efficacy in operation, the length of the bolt B between the bearing-wall of its head c and the washer 7L is proportioned so that the insertion of the key t will bind the 7o draw-head upon the end of an adjacent thimf ble d and the washer on the outer end of the other thimble, the springs C being slightly compressed thereby, so that draft force on the draw-head D will be cushioned by the springs 7 5 and percussion on the outer end of the drawhead Ybe absorbed also by said springs in an obvious manner. y

In order to afford lightness and strength to the spring-box A, itsv side walls a are made as 8o thin as is admissible and their bodies stiffened by series of reinforce-Webs a', that are formed integrally therewith and are preferably arranged at spaced intervals parallel to each other on each side wall. The spring-box has a proper number of locking-ribs m formed on the exterior surface of the side Walls a, at opposite points preferably, which ribs are designed to enter grooves in the draft-timbers E of the car-frame and by their close engage- 9c ment therewith coact with the bolts n in securingmfh spring-box to said timbers. The bolt-s n are located in opposite perforations made for them in the side walls a of the springbox, and their heads are embedded in sockets or recesses made for their reception, or the nuts of the bolts may be placed in said recesses n and thereby be held from turning when the bolts are'entered and screwed up so as to bind the spring-box to the timbers E, through which Ioo they are passed to engage the nuts.

In order to prevent the springs C from loss in case the link-bolt B should be broken, a

keeper plate or bar Fis secured transversely by its ends upon the timbers E below the spring-chamber c, as shown by dotted lines in 5 Fig. 1, and as the springs named can be removed or placed in position by the removal of the cross-key z" and endwise movement of the link-bolt it is apparent that an exchange of a broken or worn-out spring for a new one can be quickly and securely effected.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-d l. A spring-box for car-couplings, consisting of two parallel side walls having interior stiieningwebs and exterior locking-ribs and two Jtransverse apertured walls integral with the side walls and forming therewith a springchamber, the side walls projecting beyond the transverse walls, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a spring-box for car-couplings, the combination, with a box having integral side and transverse walls forming a chamber open at top and bottom, the end walls projecting beyond the transverse walls and the trans verse walls being apertured, of anged thimbles in said apertures, a link-bolt passing through the thimbles and provided with a head at one end, and a spring in the chamber and surrounding the link-bolt, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a coupling drawhead, of a spring-containing box securable on car-timbers, consisting of two parallel side walls having eXteriorlocking-ribs on each wall, interior stiiening-webs thereon, two transverse spaced walls integral therewith, each cross-Wall centrally apertured, a flanged thimble in each apertured cross-wall and adapted to support a link-bolt, a longitudinally-movable linkbolt having its head engaging the rear wall of a draw-head through which said bolt passes, a washer and a cross-key on the other end of the bolt, and a buffer-spring on the bolt between the transverse walls, substantially as described.

PATRICK PAUL MCMAIION.

GEORGE MARCUS VILCOXSON. XVitiiesses:

C. S. BAssET'r, J. N. lIUsKnY. 

